Libs campaign leader says Crean would have been better for ALP

PM - Wednesday, 27 October , 2004 06:10:00

Reporter: Stephanie Kennedy

MARK COLVIN: But first for some salt in the Labor wounds - with perhaps a touch of vinegar as well.

The man who ran the Liberals' victorious campaign says the leader Labor ditched, Simon Crean, would have been a more formidable adversary than Mark Latham.

The Federal Director of the Liberal party Brian Loughnane also says the ALP blundered by targeting the treasurer Peter Costello.

He says the Liberal party's polling since the election confirms that an overwhelming majority of people in key marginal seats voted for the Coalition because of its economic record.

Meanwhile, Labor's new frontbench has spent the day trying to work out for itself what went wrong.

Stephanie Kennedy reports from Canberra.

STEPHANIE KENNEDY: Labor's new shadow cabinet met for the first time today for a two day talk fest to review the party's policies and to work out where the ALP goes from here.

Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd is keen to move forward.

KEVIN RUDD: It's time we get on with the job. We've got three years ahead of us to get on with the business of establishing ourselves as an alternative government. We intend to get down to work today and that's what Mark Latham has called us to Canberra to do.

STEPHANIE KENNEDY: While Labor mulls over its defeat, the Liberal's Federal Director offered his assessment on the ALP's failures. In the traditional post-election speech to the National Press Club, Brian Loughnane thinks he knows exactly why Labor lost the election.

BRIAN LOUGHNANE: The first point to make is that this was vote for the Coalition and for John Howard. We won because the people voted for us rather than against Labor.

STEPHANIE KENNEDY: For the first time, Mr Loughnane outlined the liberals post election research which shows the economy was the key to the Coalition's victory.

BRIAN LOUGHNANE: We found 65 per cent of people in key marginal seats agreed with the proposition that Coalition was better able to keep the economy strong. Our lead over Labor on this question was 49 per cent.

STEPHANIE KENNEDY: And the Liberal party couldn't believe why the ALP continued to target Peter Costello.

BRIAN LOUGHNANE: 82 per cent of marginal seat voters thought Peter Costello's economic record was a positive for the government. And a remarkable 77 per cent of Labor voters thought so. It was somewhat surprising therefore that Labor's advertising featured him so heavily. Doubly so when you consider the same tactic failed in 2001.

STEPHANIE KENNEDY: The Liberal party federal director thinks the leadership change to Mark Latham was a big mistake for Labor.

BRIAN LOUGHNANE: The change to Mark Latham was not a wise one. It was a poor choice, born of despair and desperate hope rather than a sound analysis of where Labor was when Simon Crean eventually fell on his sword last December. For all his faults Simon Crean was a persistent and potent carrier of Labor's message. Although it is not the conventional wisdom, I was worried by just how well Simon would have campaigned

STEPHANIE KENNEDY: He says Mr Latham was seen as erratic and not to be trusted - he had a reputation for abusing others and for embracing wacky policy ideas.

And Labor's failure to submit its polices for costing during the campaign was a big blunder with 63 per cent of marginal voters agreeing with that proposition

The Liberal party research also shows 70 per cent of voters think Labor's election loss was due to fundamental problems within the party that have been present for years, with 72 per cent of marginal seat voters thinking Labor needs a complete revamp of its people and policies.

BRIAN LOUGHNANE: To sum up Labor's campaign, it seemed to me that Mark Latham thought he was running for State Premier not Prime Minister. He seemed more interested in sound bites than serious national policy. He did not present a fully developed set of polices and he was not serious about having his policies costed.

STEPHANIE KENNEDY: But it was the now infamous handshake which in Mr Loughnane's view was the most damaging image of the campaign

The day before the election the two leaders crossed paths at ABC Radio's Sydney studio. Mr Latham shook John Howard's hand vigorously, and the Labor leader is still defending his actions - this time on Sydney's 2GB.

ANNOUNCER: But you look at yourself and you look really ordinary. You look like a big bully and I don't think that's your go, in normal circumstances. And I would think if you reviewed that you'd be a little embarrassed by the way you acted?

MARK LATHAM: Well I came out of the studio, I walked up to him and shook his hand. It was a crowded room and I can assure you the handshake from the other end was very vigorous and he was flapping around.

ANNOUNCER: Well, do it again next time, you'll get beaten next time.

MARK LATHAM: Well if you're saying we lost the election because of handshake, that is silly.

STEPHANIE KENNEDY: Brian Loughnane doesn't think that's the case but he says he's had more feedback about that handshake than any other incident in the campaign.

BRIAN LOUGHNANE: My own view is that it was one of those incidents that brought together all the doubts and hesitations that people had about Mark Latham. I think it was a mistake. I think it was one of those insights that occur occasionally that you know, say something fundamental about the individual.

WAYNE SWAN: Well, winners always re-write history afterwards because that what's winners do. I've run winning campaigns too and I know what he's up to but I wouldn't necessarily regard his assessment as being accurate.